Perpetual Learning
When we think about space exploration, we often picture rocket fuel, complex navigation systems, and brave astronauts. But did you know that a common beverage company played a surprising role in some of the earliest human spaceflights? It might sound like something out of a quirky documentary, but Canada Dry, the ginger ale maker, was … Read more
It feels like AI is everywhere these days, doesn’t it? Companies are pouring money into it, hoping for the next big breakthrough. I’ve spent decades sifting through dusty archives, and let me tell you, this kind of excitement around new technology isn’t entirely new. It reminds me a lot of past tech booms. Think back … Read more
Hello everyone, Eleanor here. As we gather here in August of 2025, the air is thick with talk of Artificial Intelligence. It’s everywhere, promising to reshape our world. But as someone who’s spent decades sifting through the history of technology, I can’t help but wonder: what if AI doesn’t get much better than this? It … Read more
Hello everyone, Eleanor here. It’s August 10th, 2025, and as I sift through the latest discussions about government funding for technology and international trade tariffs, I can’t help but notice a familiar pattern. These debates aren’t new; they echo conversations and decisions made decades, even centuries, ago. In my years working as an archivist, I’ve … Read more
As an archivist, I’ve spent decades sifting through the remnants of technological history. It’s fascinating how often the challenges and anxieties of today echo the past. The current conversation around Artificial Intelligence automating tasks within the consulting industry reminds me of a much older, yet remarkably similar, story: the rise of automation and its impact … Read more
As an archivist, I’ve spent countless hours sifting through dusty documents, often feeling like I’m stepping back in time. Today, I want to take you on a journey through a particularly fascinating period: the very beginnings of electronic computing. It’s a story of ingenious minds and remarkable leaps in technology. Long before the sleek devices … Read more
Today, we often think of the internet as a sudden, almost magical arrival. But like most profound technological shifts, its roots run deep, tangled in a history of wires, dots, and voices long before screens glowed with instant information. In my years spent poring over historical documents, I’ve seen firsthand how the desire to communicate … Read more
As a retired archivist, I’ve spent my life sifting through the records of human endeavor. And what I’ve learned is this: people have always been obsessed with collecting information. The fundamental drive to record, organize, and understand data hasn’t changed much, even if our tools have dramatically. Today, we swim in a sea of digital … Read more
Hello everyone, Eleanor here. As a retired archivist, I’ve spent my life sifting through the remnants of history, particularly the fascinating evolution of technology. Today, I want to talk about something ancient yet surprisingly relevant to our hyper-connected, automated world: the Antikythera mechanism. Discovered in a shipwreck off the coast of Greece in 1901, this … Read more
It’s easy to think of automation as a modern invention, a product of silicon chips and complex algorithms. But the desire to have machines do our work, and do it tirelessly, is much older than you might imagine. Back in the 19th century, a time of booming industrialization, people were already dreaming of automated factories. … Read more